Susan Gail Daniels, 66, passed away peacefully at her home in Bonduel, WI on August 2nd, 2019. She was born February 26th, 1953 in Milwaukee, WI, the daughter of Charles Daniels and Junee Ho.
Susan was a member of the Oneida Nation, Bear Clan and spent the majority of her life working for and with indigenous people. She was a very humble and peaceful woman. Susan held various positions in Milwaukee and Oneida including working for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin as Education Department Project Coordinator and Education/Training Officer; Personnel Department Secretary; Accounting Department Account Clerk; Commission on Aging Interim Program Coordinator/Director; Iroquois Farms Secretary/Bookkeeper/Farm Hand; Land, Title, and Trust Services Manager; Interim Business Analyst; Cultural Resource Management Program Director; Salary Evaluation Committee Member; and most recently as an elected Appellate Court Judge.
In Milwaukee, Susan served as the Indian Urban Affairs Council Emergency Energy Program Outreach Worker; Summer Youth Program Director; Employment Specialist; and Board Member. She also worked as a MATC (Milwaukee) Native American Recruiter; Wisconsin Tribal Women, Inc. Area Coordinator; WE Indians Program Coordinator; Community Relations Social Development Commission Resource Consultant; American Indian Information And Action Group Executive Secretary, and Neighborhood Youth Corps Summer Youth Position. She served on several committees as a community member, Board Member, liaison and chairperson.
Susan was an incredible writer and scholar and served as an editor/reporter of a Milwaukee Indian Newsletter Smog Signals. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Change and Development/Human Development and a Master of Science in Education/Leadership from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay (UWGB). Susan was an Oral Scholar in Residence for the First Nations Studies Center and taught a course titled, ‘Indigenous Nations Oral and Storytelling Traditions’ at UWGB.
Susan was passionate about her work and her family. She loved berry picking, and spending time in her garden. Survivors include her brother, Michael Daniels; her daughters, Niko Lee (Kalonji) Daniels, Eva Louise Christjohn and Monica Scherer Wanish and her children; granddaughters, Nakita Junee (Trebor) Tepolt and their children, Atikan and Leolene, Iesha Lee (Tommy) Daniels and daughter Jamesha Junee Lee, Yewanakayu Brooks and her son Myles Lawrence; Yen^stahawise (Alex) Schroeder and daughter Victoria; and Genevieve Susan Moore. Susan is also survived by her lifetime friends, Robin (James) Hardiman and Brian Rolf; her loving dogs, Yeksa and Steve and numerous additional extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Randall “Redeye” Watermolen and her parents, Charles Daniels and Junee Ho.
Visitation will begin at 7 pm at the Oneida Nation Longhouse, W370 Reformatory Road, Oneida, WI on Monday, August 5th, 2019. A sharing of stories and visiting will take place. Visitation will go through the night until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6th, 2019. Traditional Longhouse Ceremonies will begin at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at the Oneida Sacred Burial Grounds.
